1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a display apparatus. More particularly, the present invention relates to brightness of a display apparatus with a camera portion.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a variety of display apparatuses currently in use in devices such as portable phones, laptop and notebook computers, Portable Multimedia Players (PMPs), Digital Versatile Disks (DVDs), and MPEG Audio Layer 3 (MP3) players. In particular, the deployment of Digital Multimedia Broadcasting (DMB) is a driving force behind the proliferation of display apparatuses having a moving picture function.
With regard to such display apparatuses, image quality as well as functionality is often linked to the commercial success of the display apparatus, and/or the devices using the display apparatus. Among factors that determine the image quality, appropriate brightness is a significant factor. When brightness is automatically controlled according to external illumination, users' overall satisfaction is enhanced and power is typically saved versus displays that do not automatically adjust brightness.
Conventionally, brightness is typically fixed at a predetermined default level, or a user may set or change a level of desired brightness. Additionally, an illumination sensor is used. Such conventional devices and methods have the following shortcomings.
(1) In the case of having a fixed brightness, unnecessary power is wasted when the external illumination is high. On the other hand, the fixed brightness causes inconvenience in a dark area because sufficient brightness may not be available to comfortably view the display.
(2) When a user sets a desired brightness, it is not easy to set an appropriate brightness value unless he/she is skilled. Also, a user may not set the brightness level until there is an extreme situation, and setting the brightness at that time may actually degrade the viewability when the device is returned to more typical operating conditions and the user doesn't change it back, or does not remember exactly what the previous brightness values were.
(3) When an illumination sensor is additionally used, the cost is increased and the increase of parts in number makes the display apparatus bulky.
Accordingly, there exists a need for a display apparatus that automatically controls brightness according to external illumination without the aid of additional parts.